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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25198951">Will You Remember Me?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heliossn/pseuds/heliossn'>heliossn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>AFTERL!FE</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Deal with a Devil, M/M, Memory Loss, Strange phenomenons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:41:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25198951</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heliossn/pseuds/heliossn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eclipses always make things more... Strange no? The event where the moon covers the sun or the moon moves into the Earth's shadow. Spiritual beings always feel stronger during this time, it's their only time to truly unleash their powers. Though that means more work for the soul reapers, as they have to work faster to cleanse these restless beings and set them free to their next life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Theo/Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Will You Remember Me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is just pure angst. Be prepared &lt;33 </p><p>Also, this has a lot of headcanons for how things work in the AL universe and how soul reapers function. So please keep that in mind ovo)b</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was during a lunar eclipse when these events took place, usually during these times more vengeful spirits would be active and wreaking havoc which in turn would make all of the Soul Reapers be on watch for the entire day. When lunar/solar eclipses occurred the normal teams would be split into four teams of five, each containing one member from each faction. For example one of the teams would be Jamie from Mane, June from Die, Kati from Hesperide, Day from Noctu and Quincy from Diluculo. They had teamed up in such a way because on these fateful days, some of the vengeful spirits that had died close to an eclipse would be awoken with stronger powers making a four-man team unable to defeat them as they would be able to on normal days. </p><p>Nine was teamed with Theo, Verine, Noah and Licht. They were all wandering in a group so that no one would be caught off guard when a vengeful spirit appeared, yet the exact thing they were trying to prevent still happened. The spirit that appeared looked like a woman who looked around twenty with hazy purple eyes and lilac tinted skin, her hair was long and almost dragged on the floor. Her right leg was bent awkwardly and her left arm was a stained stump but was extended by a lilac phantom. It was a replacement of sorts. She was clad in a tattered, bloodied wedding dress, a rotten bouquet of what seemed to be roses gripped in her crimson-stained hands. On her left hand was a dark red mark where a wedding band usually would sit but there wasn't one there, it seems like she had lost it before perishing. </p><p>She glared up at the team of five, small teddy bears bearing rings hid behind her legs and countless doves were perched on her shoulders and head. She rasped out a low growl at the group and lashed out an attack. Nine dove in, barely able to block the indigo streak that dashed at them. He motioned for Noah to follow him and yelled to the other three before dashing off, </p><p>"We'll hold off the minions, you three handle the main spirit!"</p><p>Theo swiftly turned around to look at the scene before him. The presence of the vengeful spirit caused the atmosphere to change. As everyone was on high alert. He shook his head at Nine's order and catches up to them, </p><p>"No! I'll stay back, you and the others handle the main spirit!"</p><p>Nine whipped around and disagreed, "You can't stay behind you have to go help the others-!" </p><p>But he was cut off by one short yell that echoed out in the distance, Nine's face hardened before he went chasing after the source of the noise shouting back to Theo, </p><p>"Be safe Theo-san!"</p><p>"Nine wait—" It was too late, the other already ran off before the brunette could even stop him. With a click of his tongue, he turned to the other two. His bright blue eyes turned dark. </p><p>"You can handle it with just the two of you, right?"</p><p>Verine and Licht looked at each other for a second. What was Theo up to? </p><p>"I don't want to see Nine getting hurt. I'll be sure to get Noah to join you." </p><p>Theo said before dashing off to where Nine was by following the noises. The source was growing closer and closer. He clutched on his spellbook tightly as he continued to run.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Nine gripped his fan as he skidded to a stop, the woman towered over a young child and she smiled gleefully. A wispy giggle echoed through the forested clearing, the trees seemed to shimmer a light purple and the grass looked almost a dull aqua. His indigo hued eyes narrowed at the figure as he leapt forward to defend the child but realized his mistake too late. </p><p>The child vanished from behind him and reappeared in front of the woman. It's skin too was a pale dusty purple and their hair matched their mother's. The adolescent burst into a ray of purple light and the woman swung at Nine while he was caught off guard, knocking him sideways into a nearby tree. While it was only going to leave a dark bruise he still staggered while regaining his balance. He turned to face the woman, focusing and readying himself to throw his fan at her.</p><p>Theo stopped in his tracks once he saw Nine in his sights, heavy and clouded breaths leaving his parted lips from running so much. He clicked his tongue in anger at the sight before him and turned to Noah who stood in shock. </p><p>"Noah! Go accompany the others. I'll handle this." </p><p>Without a word, Noah nodded and ran to where Theo came from. The brunette quickly ran in front of Nine and opened his spellbook, </p><p>"You're an idiot to think you can handle this."</p><p>Nine watched as Noah sprinted away and looked up at the slightly taller male, he angrily muttered, </p><p>"What are you doing now? You said to handle the main spirit and then you come diving in?" </p><p>But before Nine and Theo could even react, the spirit dashed at them at almost the speed of light whilst opening her mouth to scream. Purple sound waves rebounded out a purple orb in her throat rendering the two almost immobilized. Though the two had some resistance to the noise they both crumpled to their knees to which the woman grinned maliciously and rasped, </p><p>"Stupid soul reapers coming into my forest? And during an eclipse? Don't worry dears your souls will be brought to good use~" </p><p>Nine glared at the woman and tried to pick himself back up, but he found this to be almost impossible. His limbs shook like the last leaf on a tree on a windy day in autumn, struggling to hang on for even a moment longer. The woman laughed at his actions, </p><p>"You can't get up like that~ Poor, stupid soul reapers.." </p><p>This time she lunged again, but she was aiming for Theo.</p><p><em> Dammit... </em> Theo thought, holding his head as he tried to recover from the woman's scream. </p><p>The spellbook in his hand, now on the ground due to how shaky his hands became. He tried his best to dodge the woman's attack only to get hit. </p><p>His eyes widened at the impact of her attack as he was knocked to a tree. A pained gasp emitted from the brunette before he fell to the ground.</p><p>Nine reaction time was now significantly slower as he recovered from the woman's attack, but at the same time, the attack had rendered him so powerless that he couldn't get back up so his attempt only ended up with him collapsing to the ground one again. His eyes widened as he heard a loud thump and a groan from Theo he shouted back to Theo with concern, </p><p>"THEO ARE YOU OKAY?"</p><p><em> Why can't I get up, how has her attack left me so powerless? I have to help Theo somehow... </em> Nine tried to reach for his fan but his shaky arms couldn't quite reach the distance to his weapon. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, the other three were battling minions, knocking them out one by one only to realize that there seemed to be a never-ending source of them. The bears and doves seemed to be coming from the child Nine and Noah had seen earlier. Their purple curled hair swayed in the soft breeze, their hollow eyes stared emptily at the trio as they fought a downhill battle. The child's skin twinkled in the light of the eclipse as they smiled maliciously and dove into battle. The tattered tan cloth dress they wore swirled around them as their nails extended into sharp claws, their empty eyes gave off an eerie purple glow. </p><p>The child shrieked and it drove the doves and bears into a frenzy. They attacked ruthlessly and swarmed the three males who were now struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Eventually, they were outnumbered and were forced to flee, their attackers not making a move to follow them. They simply watched them disappear and turned to return to their mother. </p><p>The woman towered over Theo and grinned as she drew back her shortened arm to throw another slash, knowing that this time the soul reaper wouldn't be able to block. Her laugh echoed through the trees and throughout the entire forest. She threw her lethal blow at the male and watched as it dove straight for his heart. </p><p>She smiled to herself knowing that there was no way he would survive and when he was dead she would deal with the other soul reaper. Then she could claim their souls and become even more powerful, maybe then would she be able to fulfill her undying desire. To get back at the one who broke her heart, to get back at the one who stole her wife. To have the two know that despite everything, she and her child would drag them down to hell whether they were ready to die or not. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Would she feel peace then? Would she be satisfied? </p><p> </p><p>No, she would never be satisfied. Not even if the two were dead, not even if they were both taken to the underworld with her. She wanted to know why they had the right. To come into her life, make her feel loved, and then tear it away from her just to taunt her with it. Who gave them the right to take her child's life away and then force her to join them in her afterlife? </p><p>The woman's face hardened, she wouldn't forgive them for as long as her soul remains. That was when she began to corrupt. Her soul was beginning to rot, she could feel her appearance twist and change into an unrecognizable beast. Her arms elongated and enlarged, her phantom one grew out a new forearm and hand, her fingertips were barely above the ground. Her legs straightened out and also grew longer and larger. Her torso lengthened and her spine snapped in half causing her to bend over backwards. Her eyes swelled up, pupils consumed her iris' leaving a pitch-black void. Her hair shrivelled and fell off in clumps of white. Her mouth twisted upwards into a permanent, horrifying grin.</p><p>Then she saw her child, running into the clearing. They looked so overjoyed as they came but when they saw their mother they were terrified. The bears and doves stood in front of the adolescent protectively. The woman stood stunned, almost completely corrupted. Almost composed of pure rage. She was stunned as she could only let out shrieks and caws. Her capability of speech had gone and her child stared at her with confusion, fear and anxiety swirling in their eyes. They staggered back and ran away, minions following behind.</p><p>The woman stood there stunned and she stopped moving entirely.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Theo coughed. The blow hurting his lungs as droplets of blood spilled out. He weakly looked up to face the woman, seeing the sickening grin present in her features. His eyes glistened with rage though he wouldn't get to attack as baby blue eyes widened. He let out a heavy gasp. </p><p>It became harder to breathe. His hand curling into a fist, gripping the dirty ground, trying to hold on to his life. </p><p>Theo could feel the sticky red fluid flowing out of his wound as it pooled under him. Tears enveloping his eyes. </p><p>He reached out to Nine with his bloodied hand, his mouth opening only for no words to come out. He felt weak. Helpless.</p><p> </p><p><em> Pathetic. </em> </p><p> </p><p>His vision slowly deteriorated. No. He can't die. Not when his love is still with the enemy. Who will protect him? The spirit is too strong for Nine to handle. He needs to be there for him. The brunette's hand shook, he's growing weaker and weaker by the minute. Theo glanced to his right where his spellbook was. With his remaining strength, he reached for the book and read the spell on the page, his hand weakly raised to the direction where the woman stood. </p><p>
  <em>"Ma..freyu.." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I'm..sorry.. Nine...</em>
</p><p>The spell was cast. With no time to react, the woman was struck down. Theo didn't know what else happened for his eyes grew heavy as it fluttered close with the fire of life dimming. His raised hand fell to the ground and his body grew limp and lifeless. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> I wish I could've done better.. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The woman let out an animalistic screech as she was struck, her body began to vaporize but she was still hanging on. She embraced the darkness that swirled in her soul and with a loud gunshot like bang her eyes widened now blood red as she trained her vision on Nine. Crimson trickled from her eye sockets like tears, what more did she have left to do in this world? Claim vengeance?</p><p>No, deep down she knew this was all futile. Regret pooled into her heart as she watched the white-haired male let out a struggled cry whilst pulling himself up. When he turned to see a dead lifeless Theo he let out a scream of shock and dashed over to the brunette, not caring if the spirit was there ready to kill. If he were to be struck down he wanted to at least be with what was left of the male, in hopes that they would both be sent to someplace greater than here. Someplace where neither of them would have to thrust in harm's way. </p><p>Nine fell to his knees as he clutched Theo's body, his own shaking as he let out sobs of grief. Theo was dead and he couldn't do anything to save him. His now cool blood stained the front of Nine's uniform, he hugged Theo's body closer to his own, he feared that if he let go he would lose his entire world. That everything would collapse down in front of him just like it had before he died. Nine's body convulsed as he let out louder cries, the sound of his sorrow now echoing into the forest and residing within the trees forevermore. </p><p>Then he pressed a soft kiss to Theo's lips before the twinkle in his eyes left, his iris' turned hazy, blank, like a canvas waiting for life to be spilt onto it. He slowly let go of Theo's body, the weight of reality finally sinking in. </p><p>Theo was gone, Nine was still here. Nine would have to continue as a soul reaper until he could fill his kaleidoscope with purified souls and grant his own wish. To be able to finish the song that he had composed in his past life, but that wish had been altered. He would replay the piece for Theo and commemorate him. So that he could remember the love he had felt so full with and remember the guilt that welled up behind it. A bittersweet song for a relationship that wasn't meant to last. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Unless.. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Nine summoned his kaleidoscope and looked at how many souls he had purified. His meter was about a quarter off from being full, he held up the tube to the sky and pleaded to the heavens, </p><p>"An angel.. If you are out there somewhere. Please, take my offering in exchange to bring back the life to someone I cherish dearly." </p><p>Minutes passed and Nine had begun to think that those who resided in the heavens wouldn't break the laws of fate, for those who die cannot be saved. It is destiny and to break those rules would go against the very law of the universe. Then a weak golden light appeared above him, growing stronger and stronger. The light hit the staring woman and reverted her back to her human form. Willowy and tall, long dark hair, pale skin and doe eyes blinked as her wedding gown bloomed to its former beauty. Her eyes blinked back tears as she clutched bouquet, now in full bloom, the crimson petals gleamed with life.</p><p>Her child ran back into the clearing clutching a purple patched together bear, large round blue eyes stared up, </p><p>"Momma..?" The child asked, the woman opened her arms and they ran into her, hugging her tightly. Two white doves rested on her shoulder as she turned to the source of the light. The source that had purified her soul from corruption. Nine stared up at the figure, a halo shining brightly overhead, </p><p>"I hear you have a request.. An offer of sorts?" </p><p>Nine nodded profusely, "I will give up my kaleidoscope in exchange for this man's life." </p><p>The angel smiled softly at him,</p><p>"You know, we aren't allowed to break the rules of fate.. But for you and such an offer, I will make an exception." </p><p>The woman approached Nine and placed her free hand on his shoulder. He recoiled from the touch whipping his head around, and his eyes narrowed at her and her child. He snapped at her harshly, </p><p>"This is all your fault. You and all the other spirits that just want vengeance when we soul reapers want to lead you to a new life where you may live peacefully.." </p><p>The woman's eyes teared up and she nodded slightly, her child buried their face into her shoulder, </p><p>"I know what I did was unforgivable.. I know that giving my condolences will provide nothing but a mere fragment of false security.. But thank you for coming tonight, here.. If it wasn't for you I might've done things I would've deeply regretted. Vengeance isn't the answer to anything, it leads to more pain and sorrow. Thank you for teaching me that.." </p><p>She pressed a small kiss to Nine's cheek and her child gave Nine the stuffed bear, they dissipated into butterflies and joined the souls already in Nine's kaleidoscope. The angel watched sorrowfully, he sneezed a couple of times before apologizing and holding his hand out, ready to receive Nine's offering.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is going to be one hell of a ride so.. Again, be prepared~</p></blockquote></div></div>
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